The Greatest Show On Earth® Gallery
Content & Interpretation - Exhibition Design
Client: The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Location: Florida, USA
Size: 200sqm
Completed: 2023
Located on the water’s edge of Sarasota Bay, The Ringling comprises of the Ca’ d’Zan - John and Mable Ringling’s stunning home, an art museum and a circus museum that tells the history of the circus internationally.
Cultural Innovations was appointed in 2018 to re-develop the contemporary circus gallery, re-imagining the space to tell the story of the last 50 years of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey™ Circus , under the ownership and direction of Feld Entertainment.
Opening in 2024, the gallery has brought a new dimension to the museums displays and continues to spark the imagination, emote nostalgia and be enjoyed by adults and children alike.
Content & Interpretation:
Cultural Innovations developed the gallery content and interpretative approach across four thematic zones to tell the fascinating story of recent circus innovations including the move of the circus from under canvas to indoor arenas and the incredible techniques developed to make touring the circus possible in the modern era.
Exhibition Design:
Cultural Innovations developed the exhibition and graphic design of an immersive circus experience. Stepping through the portal, visitors are taken on a unique journey and experience life within the circus. From the spectacle of the show to the backstage preparations and logistics, visitors are taken on a multi-sensory experience.
“In their design for The Greatest Show On Earth™ Gallery, Cultural Innovations helped The Ringling share a complex story documenting fifty years of the community, business, and spectacle of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey™. The team at Cultural Innovations brought creativity and professionalism paired with enthusiasm and curiosity to every step of the collaboration. The result is an extraordinary visitor experience that evokes wonder and joy.”
Visuals: Cultural Innovations
Images: The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art®
AV Media Design: New Angle
AV Hardware Design: Electrosonic
Lighting Design: DHA Designs
Cost Consultant: The Museum Practice